Commercial instrument



G. B. STILLWAGON. COMMERCIAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 6. 1919.

Three Dollars In Merchmdtse at OUR STORE.

Value liece'wed.

Kingg King C0,.

HmHLQT NUMBER suows ON CHEIZK- N DATE 191 CHECK N DUE 7 Three Dollars In Merchandise at OUR STQR E Value Race ivea.

King g King Co HIGHEST Nwasn Shows BALANCE. 0N cnEcK.

CHECK DuE 9 awvmdoz Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE B. STILLWAGON, or REDSTONE TOWNSHIP, FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYL- ,VANIA.

COMMERCIAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

hpp lication filed November 6, 1919. Serial No. 336,106.

tion or" the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to commercial instruments, and more particularly to what are generally known as company store checks, which may be sold for cash or-issued in exchange for services rendered. Such checks are usually for a given amount or face value payable in merchandise, and those purchases which amount to less than the total value of the check may be deducted in some manner so as to clearly indicate the amount thereon still remaining to the credit of the owner of the check.

Heretofore such store checks have been arranged with spaces carrying figurescin consecutive order from 1 to and including the number, in cents, that represents the total value of the check. Additional space is provided in the check for printing information about the check, such as the name of the company issuing it, the total value of the check, the date of issue, advertising, etc. In the use of such, checks, and starting with a check for the full amount, assuming that a purchase has been made that is smaller than the entire amount of the check, it has been the practice to deduct the amount of such purchase from the face value of the check either mentally or otherwise and then mark or punch a. number which indicates the unused balance of the check. The amount of the next purchase paid for by the check is then deducted from the last punch mar-k mentally or otherwise, and the number corresponding to the new (and smaller) balance is then marked or punched, and so on until the full value of the check is exhausted.

When the check is merely marked or punched, practically the entire original check remains in the hands of the owner until the last cent has been punched or marked OE, and then the check is turned in.

- In practice it has been discovered that these checks are sometimes altered by obliterating themarks, filling in the punch marks, or patching portions of the cheek; and this has been so cleverly done that the fraud is not readily detected, especially in the hurried handling of such checks during the usual transaction of business. This so-called doctoring of these checks may be a source of considerable loss to stores which use them.

Accordingly the principal object of this invention is to provide a commercial instru-.

ment or company store check that shall overcome the above objections to those checks now in general use.

Another object of this invention is to provide an instrument of this character in which the balances may bequickly arrived at by the clerk with the least possible chance of mistake.

In carrying out this invention, a sheet is provided with a numberof horizontal and vertical intersecting lines which form columns of spaces in which numbers are printed, ranging. from 1 up to and including the number, in cents, that corresponds to the face value of the check. The highest number is arrangedadjacent one edge of the sheet and the column which contains it eX- tends along this edge so that as the successive amounts of the purchases are deducted, pieces of the check may be successively removed, leavingin the hands of the owner only that portion of the check which represents the balance. The columns of numbers of the check according to this invention are so arrangedthat the numbers at the adj acentends of two adj aeent columns are successive numbers, which enables the store clerk to tear off a single piece of the check with the numbers which are the equivalent of the amount of his purchase, even when such numbers run from one column to the next. In order to further facilitate the use of such checks, I have provided a check in which the numbers are separated into groups, which also prevents mistakes.

In the present invention, the numbers are divided into groups by contrasting horizontal and vertical lines, certain of these lines dividing the numbers in the columns into groups of 5, representing nickels and other lines dividing the numbers into hundreds representing dollars. In this way a clerk handling the check is able to locate much where the piece of the check is to be torn,

off, especially when purchases amount to a .dollar or more, the dollar division lines are a substantial aid in quickly finding the proper place to tear off the numbers equivalent to the amount of the purchase.

In conjunction with the improved check I have provided an improved straight edge which renders it possible to. quickly and accurately remove the proper portionsof the check in one setting of the straight edge and thereby contributes to the general desirabilityv of the instrument as a store check.

The foregoing and other objects and the novel features of the invention will be ap parent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which.

Figure 1is a face view of a check embodying the present invention. I

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the straight edge in position for removing a.

portion of the check corresponding to the amount of a purchase; and,

Figs. 3 ands are partial face views of the checkshowing the straight edge in position to remove other portions of the check cor responding to the amounts of. subsequent purchases. 4

While the instrument herein shown and described is particularly applicable to company store checks it will beunderstood that the invention may be embodied in other instruments andthat the size and shape and other features of the instrument may be varied to suit the particular purpose for which such instrument is to be used.

'Referring to the drawing, 10 designates the sheet of paper or other material constituting the body of the che'ck and upon whichare printed the lines, numbers, information, etc, accordingto this invention. The check shown in Fig. 1 is substantially full size, but its size and shape may of course be altered as desired. For the purposes of illustration a portion 11 at the right end of the check is provided with a space to receive printing or writing, such as the name of the store issuing the check, the name of the owner, the date of issue of the check,

' and other information in connection with its use.

' The space on the face of the check to' the left of the space 11 is divided into columns of spaces 12 by intersecting vertical lines 13 and horizontal lines 1 For convenience and-for purposes of illustration these colums each contain 25 spaces and they are arranged vertically on the sheet 10. Further:

more, inasmuch as the denomination of the cheek illustrated is $3.00 there are'necessarily twelve such columns of spaces. Of course, the columns may be arranged horilines 141 extendacrossthe columns of spaces zontallyand the number of spaces 'in a column and the number of columns may be varied as desired. V

Numbers are printed in the columns of spaces, the last column, containing the lowest number 1, being located adjacent the space 11 and the numbers increasing toward the leftuntil the left edge. of the sheet is brings together successive numbers at the adjacent ends of two adjacent columns. For example, numbers 25 and 26 are-adjacent and successive, numbers 100 and 101 are adjacent and successive, numbers 275- and 276 are adjacent and'successive,* and soon.

It will be seen that every fifth horizontal line 1 1 1 is contrasted with the other horizontal lines infsomesuita-ble manner, as by making them considerably heavier or blacker-than thelinesbetween them; The

and numbers dividing thenumbers of each column into groups of 5, representing nickels or fiveecent amounts.. It is obvious that these horizontalcontrasting lines may be located at anyother arbitrary division point,"'such; as at every tenth line to divide the columns of numbers into groups of tens representing dimes or'ten-eent amounts, for convenience in making calculations on the instrument. j 7

It is also desirableto Jrovide lines or markingswhich shall divide the numbers into groupsof say, one hundred, corrcsponding todollars. For purposes ofillustrating this, I have provided contrasting vertical markingsor lines 131, such lines 131 comprising every fourth line of the vertical lines .13,,an'd being arranged parallel to the columns of n'umbersiand contrasting with the other lines 13 by; being heavier than or darker than these-lines. The lines 131 divide thenumbers into groupsof one hundred, thereby expediting thercalculations of deductions on the instrument. I

I have provided a simple and convenient fog-iii straight edge S for use in conjunction with checks embodying this invention. This straight edge is stamped or otherwise formed from asheet of suitable material such as sheet metal and comprises two longitudinaledges A and B, the former consisting of an edge 15 extending longitudinally of the device from-the lower end, an edge 17 extending inwardly at right angles to the edge 15 and toward the center line-of the straight edge and an eclge18 extending;

longitudinally of the device at right angles to the edge 17. The other longitudinal'edge 13 consists of a longitudinal edge19 parallel to the edge 15, an edge 20 opposite the edge 17 and extending outwardly at right angles to the edge 19' and an edge 21 parallel to the edge 18 and extending at right angles to the edge 20. Oppositely located inwardly and outwardly offset portions are thus provided at opposite points intermediate the ends of the straight edge. r

Uses of the instrument are illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4:. Assuming that a check for full value has been presented for the deduction of the amount of a ten-cent purchase, the straight edge S is set as illustrated in Fig. 2, with the edge 20 above the number 290 and the corner of the check containing the numbers 291 to 300 inclusive is torn off along the edges 19 and 20 of the straight edge S.

lVhile it is not essential to this invention that the form of straight edge shown he used, or used as indicated, there is, however, a particular advantage in using the straight edge S and setting it in the manner indicated, because the clerk will then have the larger part of the sheet to take hold of in tearing off the part that is equivalent to the amount of the purchase, and the setting is such that the number representing the amount due is always uncovered and visible adjacent the edge that tears across the column. In those cases in which the amount to be deducted requires a tear across the sheet along one of the lines dividing the sheet into columns, any or all of the edges 15, 18, 19 and 21 may be of sufficient length to extend all the way across the sheet to provide a tearing edge without an offset portion.

Assuming that a twenty-five cent purchase is to be paid for out of the check after the equivalent of the ten-cent purchase has been deducted, the straight edge S is set as shown in Fig. 8, the edge 20 being set on the line below the number 265 and the edge 18 being set along the first vertical division line 13 to the right of the outer edge of the check, the edge 15 being positioned on the second division line 13. With the straight edge S so positioned, the numbers 266 to 290, corresponding to a twenty-five cent purchase, may be torn off in a single piece, inasmuch as the numbers in these two columns are all consecutive, and the numbers at the lower ends of these adjacent columns are successive. This is a substantial convenience when a large number of checks are to be handled.

In a similar manner the setting shown in Fig. 1 is arranged to remove a section of the check that corresponds to a purchase amounting to $1.27, after the previous two purchases have been deducted. By a mental calculation the clerk may deduct the dollar and move over to the number 165, and then to complete the deduction of the twentyseven cents it is only necessary to go back in five steps of five numbers each to 140 and two additional units to a balance of $1.38. The straight edge is then positioned to tear off at the line above the number 138 and on the vertical division lines on opposite sides of this number, leaving a balance of $1.38 to the credit of the owner or" the check.

It will be seen that in this improved check the amount of every purchase is torn off and the owner never has any part of the check that has been deducted and so he never has any material on hand with which to alter other checks. The highest number left on the check always indicates how much the check is still worth. It will be seen that in using the straight edge to tear off pieces of the check, it is not necessary to turn the same end for end, but by turning it about its longitudinal center line either oii-set portion may be brought into tearing position.

\Vhile I have described my improved check in detail, it will be understood that some of the features thereof may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

WVhat I claim is:

1. A store check comprising a sheet having thereon columns starting adjacent one edge with the highest number which corresponds to the value of the check, contrasting markings extending parallel to and across said columns and dividing the numbers thereof into multiples of a given value, the numbers at the adjacent ends of alternate pairs of adjacent columns being successive, whereby the amount of a purchase in any transaction within the total value of the check may be deducted from said check by removing in a single piece from the body of the sheet a portion carrying one or more of such numbers equivalent to the amount of such purchase.

2. A commercial instrument comprising a sheet having thereon columns of numbers starting adjacent one edge with the highest number which corresponds to the value of the instrument the numbers at the adjacent ends of alternate pairs of adjacent columns being successive, whereby the amount of a purchase in any transaction within the total value of the instrument may be deducted from said instrument by removing in a single piece from the body of the sheet a portion carrying one or more of such numbers equivalent to the amount of such purchase.

3. A store check comprising a sheet having space for printing, writing, etc, upon a portion thereof, and upon another portion thereof intersecting horizontal and vertical lines dividing the same into columns of spaces,'columns of numbers in said columns of spaces starting adjacent one end of the check with the highest number which corresponds to the face value of the check, certain of said lines horizontally and vertically being heavier than and contrasting With the other of said intersecting lines te divide sald numbers, respectively, into groups of five and one hundred, the numbers at adjaof the purchase of every transaction Within 7 the value of the check maybe deducted therefrom by, removing in a single piece from the body of the sheet a portion carry- 10 ing one or moreof suchnumbers equivalent" to the amount of such purchase. V

In testimonywliereof lwhereunto am my sign'aturejin the presence Ofttvo Witnesses. r

" 'G'EORGE S'IILLWAGON Q Witnesses CHAS/D. BOWMAN, CORAQB. WVYNCOOP. 

